NPD / R&D Manager – 12 month contract

The Company

This renowned brand are starting an exciting phase of their innovation journey and are looking for a shining star to help them create new products that their global consumers will love.    

We’re looking for an exceptional R&D professional with the vision, passion and technical capability to fully harness new trends and push the boundaries of innovation.  Really driving competitive advantage, expanding current ranges and being first to market with dazzling new products.

If you have the right mix of technical innovation experience within the nutritional / wellness space, are able to capture and create product opportunities, this might just be that elusive NPD role you have aspired to land.

The Role

As a key member of this collaborative NPD team, you will lead the creation of innovative and technically complex products across worldwide markets. You will be responsible for a specific product platform within the brand’s portfolio, becoming the NPD & Technical expert for functional / health / wellbeing products.  You’ll inspire marketing teams on new thinking within your category by keeping on top of consumer and ingredient trends.

You will be proactive in your approach, working closely with global marketing teams to understand consumer needs before defining the development focus areas and creating NPD briefs.  You will work with external partners to explore complex ingredients, how they can elevate the products and cultivate new opportunities for the brand.

You will take responsibility for the scoping and feasibility of all new health biased products, working closely with internal stakeholders such as quality, regulatory and ethical teams.  You will then manage the development process from ideation through to factory implementation and ensure products stand out in terms of consumer appeal as well as technical viability.  

The Person

An accomplished NPD / R&D / Technical Innovation Manager with a Food Science qualification, or similar, who has the breadth of experience to be able to link consumer insights and technical knowledge in order to inspire and deliver new products that have a competitive edge without compromising quality standards.

Experience of working with food or beverage raw materials, particularly nutritional and functional ingredients where you have experience of developing products with health or nutritional claims / appeal is key to this role.

You will be highly collaborative and a strong relationship builder, with a solid track record of delivering innovative products to market.  You will be a natural communicator and motivational leader with the ability to effectively manage multiple projects and influence key stakeholders.

It is essential to be able to think creatively and strategically in order to see the broader business and commercial context as well as having a highly adept communication style in order to impart ideas at all levels within the business.

If you can inspire, innovate and deliver exceptional products then we’d love to hear from you.

Please apply or speak to Dhrutee about the role in more detail.

Tel: 0345 2600 737 or email dhrutee@blue-spark.org.uk

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We do our utmost to get back to candidates quickly but if you have not heard back from us within 5 days then your application has not been successful on this occasion. 

Due to the high volume of applications we receive,   I am sorry to say that we are unable to respond to candidates that do not possess the required food & drink industry experience required for our vacancies.